Dragonball Z Lives On: The Frozena Saga
by Ali Mystic
Summary: *SEQUEL TO SHIZEN SAGA* Queen Frozena has arrived! Will the Z fighters survive? Or will this be their last fight? And what about Kyloa? What secret has she been keeping? Read to find out! *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

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Author: Here's the new saga. You guys will finally get to meet Frozena and more romance is on the way as well. Just to let you know, I've been posting poetry as well. Not that I'm begging but please read my poems? And in answer to a question, I like to build romances slowly. And I believe friendship comes before love. There are some exceptions but not in my story. Oh by the way, I've put up some new fanart as well at my site, so go check it out!

Dragonball z lives on:

The Frozena Saga

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Chapter 1

Close

So very close is she

With hate filling her soul,

And vengeance her only purpose.

The ship was silent and empty. Unlike her consort, she preferred doing all of her work herself. Especially when it came to fighting. Hired lackeys never did anything right. She adjusted the ship's instruments, making sure they were on the right course. After all, it had been quite a few decades since she had gone to Earth and she had been so furious at the time she hadn't really noticed the coordinates she sped towards, as she was preparing to extract a painful punishment from her husband at the time. 

The regal creature gave un-regal snort of contempt. An Akidaian planting his seed in a weakling human, tainting his powerful and pure blood. She had really chosen a pathetic spouse. Well that human and her whole pathetic, weak race would pay. The creature clutched her fists tightly, drawing blood with her sharp nails. They would all pay. Especially that whore of a human. Queen Frozena admitted that that strange human with an even stranger marking had surprised her but she wouldn't underestimate her again. The Queen slowly smiled as she began glowing, reveling in her power. No, it would not happen again.

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Elsewhere . . . 

Kyloa had said that Queen Frozena would arrive tomorrow, so she had insisted that everyone take today off and rest up. Goku and Gohan had gone back to spend time with Chichi and Goten, after not seeing them for a whole year. Sixteen at first was going to spend the day alone but Eighteen had insisted he spend the day with her and Marron and Krillin.

Piccolo chose to stay with Kyloa, feeling that she shouldn't be left alone, after being alone for so many years. The defense lessons he had been giving her for the last few months had gone pretty well. She had become an extremely fast runner and flyer, but then dodging his ki blasts was a great motivator. She was nearly as fast as him, surpassing Krillin and Eighteen. But she refused to learn how to fight or send energy blasts. She had learned to suppress her own ki quickly, to the point Goku couldn't find her but he himself could still find her. Piccolo attributed it to spending so much time teaching her to use it.

Today Piccolo decided they should work at her blocking energy blasts. He had been trying to teach her how to create a ki shield but for some reason she was having trouble. After a couple of hours getting nowhere, Kyloa decided to suggest an idea she had been brooding over for awhile.

"Piccolo," she said, panting from the exercise. Piccolo crossed his arms and looked at her, waiting for her to say what she was going to say.

Kyloa stood straighter as her breath calmed. "We both know that I can disappear into the ground fast enough to dodge blasts if I can't run. But becoming air is too slow and if the blast were strong enough I would boil to death as water. I was wondering; could I absorb energy blasts as fire? I mean, energy is another form of fire, isn't it?"

Piccolo raised an eyebrow at her. He hadn't thought of that before. "I thought you said becoming fire was difficult for you. I've never seen you do it before."

Kyloa's mouth twitched. "I can become fire really quickly; it's not difficult. It's just . . . uncomfortable."

Piccolo uncrossed his arms. "Do you want to try it?"

Kyloa nodded and stepped back several feet. Within seconds her skin was aglow from a deep scalding heat within. Piccolo could feel the heat from where he was standing and became slightly worried. Suddenly, Kyloa burst into flames. She still kept her shape though and didn't seem to be in any pain. "Now, Piccolo."

Stretching out his arm, Piccolo sent out a moderately strong energy blast her way. Kyloa stood her ground and as it hit her, it disappeared, becoming part of the fire. Her flames leapt up even higher and brighter than before. Piccolo heard a cry and watched as Kyloa quickly reverted to her normal self and fell to her knees.

Concerned, Piccolo strode forward and helped Kyloa up as she rose to her feet. During his time with Kyloa, Piccolo had become a little attached to her. So far, only Gohan had noticed and Piccolo would prefer to keep it that way. Kyloa let Piccolo hold her up as she shook her head, trying to calm her thoughts.

"Are you all right? What happened?" asked Piccolo, as he looked her over, checking for burns. Kyloa looked up at him and blushed as she realized she was in his arms. She hurriedly pulled away, and tried to regain her composure.

"I'm all right. When I become fire, it feels like a roiling chaos has entered my mind and I have to struggle to keep my form and not go lose and burn everything near me. When you fired, I loosened my grip and let the fire reach out and it grabbed the energy, almost eating it. It felt so, so . . . I can't describe it! If the blast was any stronger, I would have lost control completely."

Piccolo frowned at her. "You should have told me. I don't want you to ever try that again, is that clear? Just stick with dodging energy blasts."

Kyloa gave him an inquisitive glance. _Since when did he get so protective of me?_ Kyloa gave an inward shrug. "Maybe we should take the rest of the day off."

Piccolo tilted his head in consideration and then nodded. Kyloa glided towards the river and took a seat upon its bank. Relaxing, she let her legs dangle in the river. Piccolo floated above in his usual meditative position but instead of meditating, he was quietly observing her.

Peaking an eye at the green alien above her, Kyloa showed him another one of her timid little smiles. She didn't smile often but when she did, Piccolo felt like he was receiving an honored privilege and it made it him feel uncomfortable while at the same time it gave him an unusual sort of serenity.

The tranquility only lasted a few moments before Piccolo broke it. "You know we might die tomorrow, right?"

Kyloa scrutinized him, not revealing what she was thinking. "I know I will probably die. But you and the others have a very good chance of surviving the fight and actually beating her."

Piccolo gave her a questioning glance. "And what makes you think that we will live and you will not?"

Kyloa sighed, closing her eyes. "I trapped Queen Frozena in a rose and was able to keep her trapped for over a hundred years. The first thing she will do when she gets here is hunt me down and kill me. And then the rest of the planet."

Piccolo lowered himself to her level. "Then I'll just have to protect you."

Kyloa's eyes flew open and she turned to look at him with pain in her eyes. No! I don't want you risking your life for me."

Piccolo gave her a disbelieving glance. "I'm already risking my life for the rest of the Earth. Why can't I risk it for you?"

Kyloa turned away to study the water. "Because mine isn't worth it."

"That's not for you to decide. And don't you dare blame yourself if any of us die tomorrow. Understand?"

"I understand." Kyloa gave him a cursory glance. "But I don't know if I'll be able to obey." And with that, she disappeared into the river.

"Kyloa!" Piccolo scowled in anger. She'll argue with him on everything else but when it came to herself, she always slipped away. He had a sinking feeling that she was resolved to die tomorrow if it would prevent them from getting harmed. _Something else happened besides being imprisoned that Queen Frozena is angry about. What is it? Why is Kyloa hiding it?_

Ghosts of buried years are rising

As an old terror returns

Will I be able to face it,

Or will I lose all I have gained?


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

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The dark queen has come

She's just beyond our sight

Hovering like a vulture

To bring about the world's end.

The day dawned bright and clear and Kyloa would have thought it was a beautiful day if she didn't know what was going to happen later on. Goku and the others were even more tense, with worry and anticipation. As they waited in the meadow for Queen Frozena to arrive, the fighters were surprised when Vegeta, Krillin, and Eighteen showed up.

"What are you guys doing here?" exclaimed Goku. Kyloa frowned.

"You guys didn't think we were going to let you face this fight alone, did you?" replied Krillin cheerfully, glancing at his wife. Eighteen gave him a tiny half-smile.

"Wherever there is a fight, I will always be close by. You should have learned that by now, Kakarott," snapped Vegeta.

Goku grinned happily. He never was one to let Vegeta's harsh words get to him. Kyloa's frown deepened. "You shouldn't have come." With that, she disappeared into the rock she was sitting on, not noticing the confused looks she got.

"What's the matter with her?" asked Krillin.

Goku scratched his head and shrugged, causing Skorch to squawk. Piccolo, who had been meditating, alighted to the ground and joined the group. "She feels that we should take this fight a little more seriously. After all," he concluded sarcastically, "We just might die today."

Vegeta snorted contemptuously. Goku and Krillin managed to look pretty sheepish. Gohan became thoughtful. "You know, Dad, Kyloa has the right to be afraid. I mean, Kyloa will be the first one that Queen Frozena goes after, right? Since she was the one who defeated her before."

"You're right, Gohan," said Goku. "Krillin, would you mind keeping an eye on Kyloa during the fight and make sure she stays out of trouble?"

Krillin blinked. "Yeah, sure, Goku. You sure you want me to do it?"

Goku smiled and gave him the victory sign. "Well, the rest of us are going to be kind of busy, don't you think?"

Before anyone could reply, Kyloa suddenly appeared out of the rock. She ignored them completely, keeping her eyes attuned to the sky. Silent Sixteen stepped forward. "What is it?"

They didn't have to wait for the answer long. Within seconds they could all sense the power level. A ship sped by overhead, and they were all nearly knocked over by the backwash. The ship was just like Frieza's, only half its size. It sped out of their sight, heading for what seemed to be the abandoned territories where they usually fought. They all turned to Kyloa who seemed calm outwardly but Piccolo noticed that her hands were trembling almost imperceptibly and that her face was just slightly pale. "She's here."

A determined look settled over Goku's features. "Right. Well, we should probably go and greet her." With that, he rose into the air, Skorch following. Gohan and Sixteen followed close behind, with Dende, Vegeta, Eighteen, and Krillin close after. Piccolo didn't move, his eyes on Kyloa, who seemed a little reluctant to follow. "You don't have to go, you know."

Kyloa turned to look at him, her eyes unreadable as usual. "I have to." She quickly rose into the air and sped after the others. Piccolo shook his head and was quick to pursue. At the speeds the fighters traveled, it didn't take them long to reach the place where the ship had landed. Wanting to keep the element of surprise, they hid among the plateaus nearby and spied upon the ship below. The fighters watched as a ramp slowly lowered from the ship and touched the ground. They practically held their breath as they waited for whoever was inside to come out. _Will she have an army of soldiers like Frieza and King Kold did?_ thought Piccolo.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts, Kyloa whispered, "Don't expect any other fighters. Queen Frozena prefers to fight her own battles."

Goku nodded in understanding. "All the more better for us," murmured Krillin sarcastically. Gohan gave him a stern look, indicating he should be quiet. Suddenly a movement caught their attention. Someone was exiting the ship.

Goku and the others watched as they got their first good look at the creature they had been waiting to arrive for a year. Piccolo recognized her instantly from the dreams the Earth had sent him. Queen Frozena stood nearly as tall as King Kold did but she wasn't nearly as wide or bulky. She was slender, with pale purple reptilian skin and a wicked looking tail, longer than Frieza's or King Kold's had been. From so far away they could not get a very good look at her face but they could tell she had a large set of horns stop her head and she seemed to be wearing skimpy, revealing armor in the most unusual shade of pink.

Piccolo glanced at Kyloa and noticed that she had gone completely pale and that she was clenching her tunic so tightly in her hands that her knuckles had gone white. He reached over and placed his large green hand over her small white ones, trying to relax her grip before she hurt herself. Kyloa turned her wide frightened eyes to his stern cold ones. He gave her hands a slight squeeze and she got the message, taking a deep breath as she relaxed her hands. He removed his hand and turned to only meet Gohan's puzzled and slightly amused gaze. Piccolo glared fiercely at him and returned his gaze to the field below just in time to see that their cover was about to be blown.

Piccolo cursed, giving voice to everyone's thoughts. A red mini-dragon was streaking towards Queen Frozena, claws extended, intent on drawing blood. It was Embyr. Kyloa gasped as she realized what was about to happen. "No! Embyr, no! Don't!" Before anyone could stop her, Kyloa took to the air and zoomed after her little dragon. She barely caught the dragon before she reached the evil queen. In the blink of an eye, Kyloa backed away several yards, scolding Embyr quietly the whole time, who was hissing and spitting in her arms. But it was too late. Queen Frozena had noticed her and was smirking demonically. Piccolo cursed again and took off after her, the others following quickly.

Piccolo landed silently beside Kyloa, scowling fiercely at her and her dragon. Kyloa cowered beneath his glare and backed up a few steps. The rest of the group landed in a rough half-circle around the two, their faces grim. Kyloa whispered an order to Embyr and then released her. The little dragon gave a squawk of protest and then sped away at top speed.

"Well, there goes our element of surprise," stated Eighteen, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Thanks to nature girl here." Vegeta looked ready to kill.

Before anyone could say anything else, a voice they didn't know reached their ears. "It seems you have saved me the trouble of finding you, little witch. And it seems you have brought along some little playmates as well. You shouldn't have. Now they will die, along with you."

Kyloa winced at the term of 'little witch'. The group turned to look at who had spoken. Queen Frozena still held her smirk and but now a look of amusement seemed to be there as well. The fighters got their first close view of their new enemy. Her eyes were a cold beady red, just as the others of her race, and her cruel lips were a shade of purple so dark they appeared black. Kyloa felt a shiver go down her back as those icicle eyes lingered on her. That was when Kyloa realized that no matter what happened, Queen Frozena was going to make sure she never lived past this day.

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Author: Don't kill me! I know this chapter was short but I'm trying to make it suspenseful, so work with me here. In the next chapter you'll finally find out what is Kyloa's big secret, if you haven't guessed already what her secret is. I hope I didn't make it too obvious. Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

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Author: Hey! It's the long awaited chapter 3 with the revelation of Kyloa's secret! And when you're done, please read my latest poem, which is entitled TRUE PAIN. Happy Reading!

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Chapter 3

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Gasps are heard all around

As secrets of the past

Are resurfaced in the present.

The wind blew up dust as the fighters stared each other down. Goku was the first to speak. "So, you must be Queen Frozena. We've heard so much about you."

"All good things I hope," she replied, voice smooth. "But I am afraid I have never heard anything about you. Why don't you tell me, so I can notify your loved ones after you're gone."

Goku tensed, clenching his fists. But Vegeta was one who responded. "If you really want to know, you're going to have beat it out of us."

Queen Frozena's lips twitched. "Brave words. And just what makes such a weakling so brave? Besides the fact that you are obviously a Saiyan. Saiyans always could give you an amusing boast but were never able to back it up."

Vegeta looked ready to strike but Goku held him back. "It just so happens that we were the ones who destroyed King Kold and that pitiful son of his, Frieza."

Queen Frozena chuckled her mirth. This was not the reaction they were expecting. "Well, I must admit, you have saved me quite a chore. It appears my husband has received the punishment he deserved after all. And his abomination as well. Maybe I won't kill you after all."

"Don't do us any favors," Piccolo replied, crossing his arms.

Queen Frozena's smile tightened. "Hand over the witch and just maybe I'll leave your planet unscathed."

Piccolo snorted. "I don't think so. Leave now and maybe we won't kill you."

Queen Frozena's smile left her face completely. "Have it your way. But don't think I will be as easy to kill as my pitiful husband and that dwarf Frieza. I don't need to transform as males do."

Kyloa stepped closer to Piccolo and Goku. "Maybe you should accept her offer. Give me up. Maybe you won't have to fight."

Piccolo looked at her incredulously. "Do you honestly believe that after she kills you she'll leave peacefully without killing anyone else?"

"Piccolo's right, Kyloa. We're not about to hand you over to this monster." Goku turned his attention back Frozena. "You hear that? If you want Kyloa, you're going to have to go through us first."

Queen Frozena's eyes narrowed dangerously at them and she took a couple steps forward. "You all seem so willing to protect the little witch. And it makes me wonder. Do you really know the whole story?"

Krillin gave her a 'duh' look. "Of course we do. King Kold came to Earth, found out about our DNA, used it to create Frieza, you came to Earth hopping mad, tried to destroy it but Kyloa stopped you by trapping you in a rose. Does that about it cover it, lady?"

The queen's eyes grew colder, if that was possible. "Just about. But you forgot one very important detail."

Kyloa froze and slowly began backing up. No one noticed, except Piccolo. _What detail?_ Gohan glanced at Krillin and then his dad. "What is she talking about? Krillin seemed to get the facts pretty straight to me."

Goku scratched his head. "I don't know."

Queen Frozena's eyes gleamed wickedly and her lips twisted into a vicious smile. "Ah, so you haven't told your little friends. Who could blame you. I wouldn't want anyone else to know either. Maybe your friends won't be so fierce to defend you once they know your little secret."

Everyone glanced at Kyloa who seemed frozen with fear and about to faint any second. Vegeta growled suspiciously. "Know what?"

Frozena was absolutely enjoying the torture that Kyloa seemed to be going through. "Should I tell them, little witch? After all, they have the right to know, don't you think? I mean, they'll be risking their lives because of it."

Frozena took a few more steps forward while Kyloa took a few steps back. "No, please. Don't tell them, please."

Frozena's face and body read predator as Kyloa's read prey. She really was enjoying toying with the pathetic human. "And why shouldn't I, you little whore? I think its high time that they knew you were the little trollop who whelped that pint sized brat Frieza."

Every single fighter facevaulted, except Eighteen, though she was surprised too. If the situation wasn't so serious, Eighteen probably would have laughed at the comical expressions upon their faces. All eyes turned to Kyloa, who at the moment was paler than a ghost and had eyes wider than an orange. 

Queen Frozena was almost positively gleeful. She threw up her hands in mock guilt. "Oops! Seems I let your secret slip. What will you do now?"

The fighters ignored the gossipy queen, keeping their eyes peeled on Kyloa. She was still slowly backing away from them when she caught the look in Goku's eyes. The look stopped her movement. It was a hurt, betrayed look. "Is it true, Kyloa? Were you Frieza's mom?"

Kyloa closed her eyes with a defeated expression upon her face.

"Yes. It's true."

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Author: Now everyone knows Kyloa's big secret! Was it a surprise?


	4. Chapter 4

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Author: Well, I guess I really shocked you guys with that last chapter. Since the last couple of chapters were kind of short and since I know the next couple of chapters will be short as well, this chapter is kinda long. I'm not very good at writing action, so bear with me as I try write a whole battle for you.

From some of the responses I got, some people think the baby in Piccolo's dreams is Frieza but if you remember correctly, part of his mission is to protect this baby and Kyloa. So it can't be Frieza, cause he's already dead. I don't want to reveal who the baby is yet. You'll find out at the end of this saga. Well, if you want to get technical, the beginning of the next saga.

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Chapter 4

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Future looks grim

As the talk ends

And the fight begins.

"Yes. It's true. I was the one who gave birth to Frieza."

Piccolo's thoughts were jumbled and for once he didn't know what to think or say. In a way, he felt betrayed. But he wasn't able to think about it for long. Queen Frozena quickly took advantage of the situation and fired a finger blast directly aimed for Kyloa's heart. Piccolo was almost too late in saving her. In the blink of an eye, Piccolo pushed Kyloa down to the ground, barely missing the blast himself.

Piccolo slowly raised his head, giving Kyloa a hard stare. Kyloa stared back, shock registering on her features. "Why did you do that?"

Piccolo snorted and then stood, bringing Kyloa to her feet at the same time. "I said I would protect you." Piccolo looked irritated. He did not like having to explain himself.

Kyloa blinked. She had not expected that answer. But before she could reply, they all heard a snarl. Turning around, they saw that Queen Frozena had launched herself into the air and was heading straight towards them. She did not look happy at all. Goku's eyes narrowed. "Krillin! Get Kyloa out of here!"

"Right away boss!" shouted Krillin as he grabbed Kyloa's arm and began flying away at his top speed. Kyloa gave a little gasp and struggled against his grip. "But Goku –!"

"No buts Kyloa! You may have lied but you're still my friend. And I don't let anything happen to my friends!" Goku went Super Saiyan as he rose into the air, preparing to stop Queen Frozena from going after them.

Realizing she wouldn't be able to stop Krillin, Kyloa used her greater speed to get them away faster. They both disappeared from sight. No one could sense them, except Piccolo. They were well hidden. Queen Frozena stopped in mid-air, letting out a howl of fury. Goku felt it was time to put his new powers to the test. Reaching out with his mind, he felt an answering presence in the air around him.

Murmuring, he chanted, "Mighty air, kindred spirit to my soul, aid me in my fight. Lend me the power of your mighty winds and storms. Help me save the mother of us all. Help me save Earth."

Goku was suddenly surrounded in a whirlwind and they all felt his power increase immensely. The whirlwind disappeared to reveal that Goku had gone Super Saiyan 3. Queen Frozena did not seem fazed by it. She powered up, making all the fighters gasp in shock at her immense power. Kyloa had not been exaggerating. Not at all. Frozena flew at Goku and they were quickly engaged into an intense fight, so far only using their fists. No energy blasts. They were moving so fast, the other fighters could barely keep track of them with their eyes.

Piccolo felt it was time for him to power up as well. Spreading out his senses, he felt a welcoming response from deep within the earth. In a low voice he chanted, "Mighty fire, kindred spirit to my soul, aid me in my fight. Lend me the power of your mighty flame and heat. Help me save the mother of us all. Help me save Earth."

There was a loud rumble and suddenly the other fighters had to back away as the ground erupted, spurting out intense flames that quickly engulfed Piccolo. While the fire was blistering to the others, Piccolo felt a strange sort of comfort as the flames surrounded him and slowly seeped into him, increasing his power potently. The flames dispersed, leaving him much more powerful than he was before. He quickly flew up and joined Goku in his fight.

Gohan and Sixteen glanced at each other and than nodded. They chanted words similar to the ones said by Piccolo and Goku. Gohan was suddenly submersed from head to toe in water as Sixteen was surrounded by a melee of plants and dirt. By the time the elements disappeared, both fighters had powered up significantly. They rose into the air and joined the fight.

At first they seemed pretty even with the evil queen. And then she began using energy blasts. And of course, the Z fighters responded in kind. But using blasts was quickly telling on their energy. The dragons sensed it through their connection with the fighters and before anyone could stop them, joined in the fight.

One minute Piccolo was facing a blast that was sure to take off his head. In the next minute, he was staring at a mass of green scales. Looking up, he realized it was a rather large green dragon that looked awfully familiar. The dragon turned his head to look at him with his red eyes and with a start Piccolo realized it was Byrn. _Since when is Byrn bigger than I am?_

Looking around, he saw each fighter was being guarded by a larger version of his draconian partner. Queen Frozena had stopped in mid-attack and now looked a bit confused. With a screech, Byrn led the attack, the other three following. The four dragons flew flaming at the evil queen, who now looked a bit worried. How do you bock against fire?

Piccolo turned to Gohan and spoke to him in his mind. _What the hell is going on?_ Gohan glanced at him, a slightly confused expression on his face. _Niko told me they were all worried about us, so they decided to intervene to give us a breather to gather our strength for another bout._

Piccolo glared. _That doesn't explain why they're suddenly all a third a size of Shenlong._ Gohan shrugged. _Well, Kyloa did say that if we were on good rapport with our dragons, they could grow to a size capable of fighting._

Piccolo snarled and glanced at the fighting dragons. They had started using their razor sharp claws as well and Queen Frozena was beginning to look like a scratching post. Those dragons were in the middle of a battle fury and weren't about to stop anytime soon. Resigned, Piccolo floated back down to the ground. Gohan, Goku, and Sixteen calmly followed, eyes still on their dragons, not quite believing what they were watching.

Far away, hidden behind a large accumulation of rocks, were Kyloa and Krillin. They had been tensely watching the fight and were slightly confused when the dragons entered the fight. Krillin became even more confused as he watched Kyloa go into some sort of trance and turn her head, as if she was listening to someone he couldn't see.

"Kyloa?" he whispered.

Kyloa shook her head and turned to face Krillin, a worried look on her face. "The dragons jumped in to give their partners a breather. Queen Frozena was starting to wear them down. But dragons aren't that strong; it won't be long before the fighters will have to step in again."

Krillin suddenly grinned and reached into his pocket, bringing out a small pouch. Kyloa looked at it curiously. "What is that?"

"Senzou beans. This will restore the guys' energy in no time." He stood up and was about to fly off when Kyloa stopped him.

"Wait. I'm faster than you are. Let me take the beans to them. I can be out there and back before Queen Frozena notices." Before Krillin could protest, Kyloa had taken the pouch from him and was already zipping away. A moment later she appeared next to Gohan, holding out the pouch to him. Gohan nearly fell over in his surprise. Goku and Piccolo both looked unhappy with her.

"Kyloa! I told you stay hidden with Krillin!" scolded Goku.

"Here. Krillin said that these would help," Kyloa said quietly. Gohan took the pouch from her and peaked into the bag. "Senzou beans!"

Gohan handed a bean to Sixteen, Goku, and Piccolo and then took one for himself before tucking the pouch away in his pocket. Piccolo glared at Kyloa as the others ate their beans and felt themselves be rejuvenated. Kyloa shifted her feet. She was determined not to go 'til she saw Piccolo eat his senzou bean.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed on purpose? What were you thinking? If Queen Frozena sees you –" yelled Piccolo.

Kyloa quietly interrupted him. "If you will eat the bean, I will go."

Flabbergasted, all Piccolo could do was stare at her with his mouth hanging open. Goku laughed and took the senzou from Piccolo's hand and popped it into his hanging mouth. "Now chew, Piccolo, so Kyloa can go back to her hiding spot where she'll be safe."

Piccolo quickly chewed and swallowed, before he could embarrass himself any further. Fresh energy coursing through his veins, he checked on the fight to see how the dragons were doing. With a start, he realized the dragons were gone and the only one left in the air was Queen Frozena, who was looking their way. And she didn't look too happy either.

The others noticed the same time Piccolo did. "Uh! Where's Niko? He's not dead, is he?" cried out Gohan.

Kyloa was already in a trance, communing with her mother. "The yuudragons have returned to the Earth. Do not worry. They will return in a couple days. They were just worn out from the fight."

As Kyloa talked, the others watched in horror as Queen Frozena began speeding towards them. Towards Kyloa.

Before anyone could react or even warn Kyloa, in one fell swoop Queen Frozena reached Kyloa and in the next second had lifted her up by her neck. Kyloa had enough time to let out a one single shriek before the evil queen began squeezing her neck, effectively cutting off her air supply.

None of the fighters knew what to do as Queen Frozena slowly began strangling Kyloa to death.

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Author: In the next chapter a life will be taken. Will it be Kyloa? Or will it be someone else? (Just a little warning, the next chapter will be a little gory & bloody. I might classify it as PG-13.)


	5. Chapter 5, Part I

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Author: Okay, this is where my story starts to get a little PG-13, so I'm just warning you guys now so you can still have time to leave if you don't like death and blood. After this though, it should go back to being PG.

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Chapter 5, Part I

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A sacrifice is made

A life is lost

And the last chance is taken away.

Kyloa hung in the air, feet dangling above the ground, as panic swept through her and she began struggling against Frozena's grip on her. She tried to concentrate to become air, then water, but the panic she felt inhibited from her being able to calm her mind enough to change.

Piccolo felt helpless as to what to do. He was suddenly struck with the thought that if Kyloa died, he might not be able to handle it. He tried not to dwell on this startling and strange thought and tried to concentrate on the situation in front of him. Kyloa was in trouble and needed help.

Gohan tried to attack Queen Frozena from the side but with one swipe of her tale, he was thrown aside, landing hard on his bottom several yards away. And then Goku suddenly remembered something that Kyloa had said a while back:

" _. . . When she finds out her son Cooler, Frieza's brother, is dead, she'll probably go after Goku as well._"

All at once, Goku knew exactly what to do. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yelled, "Hey Queenie! If you think what she did was bad, wait 'til you hear what I did!"

Piccolo whirled to face his friend, instantly afraid of what Goku was about to do. "Goku! What are you doing?"

Goku winked at him. "Trust me!"

"What are you babbling about you silly monkey?" Queen Frozena still held tight to Kyloa, who was beginning to turn blue. Gripping the Queen's scaly arms, Kyloa tried to alleviate her grip. "Goku, please. Don't."

But Goku wasn't about to listen to reason. "Ever have a son named Cooler? Because I destroyed him!"

For one moment, Queen Frozena literally looked frozen. Then she let out a fierce yell and threw Kyloa aside as she charged towards Goku. Unfortunately, it wasn't a gentle toss. Unable to stop herself, she was heading straight for an enormous boulder. Just as Kyloa reached the boulder, she disappeared. No one was sure what happened. A moment later, Kyloa appeared, falling out of the boulder and landing abruptly on her back.

Piccolo was instantly at her side, helping her up and checking her over for any major injuries. Kyloa, once on her feet and steady, shrugged impatiently out of his arms. "Don't worry about me! Help Goku! She's going to kill him!"

Kyloa's words weren't far from the truth. Queen Frozena was pummeling him, not giving Goku a single chance to retaliate. Sixteen and Gohan flew in to try to relieve Goku but Queen Frozena wasn't letting up an inch. They were both almost instantly thrown away, Sixteen impacting the ground and creating a large crater. Gohan crashed into a nearby cliff, effectively collapsing it around him. He uncovered himself from the rubble a moment later, showing that he was okay.

Piccolo zipped in to come to Goku's aide but he didn't fare much better than Sixteen and Gohan. Piccolo scowled as he landed yards away on his rump. They needed to regroup and attack her all at once. Standing up, he froze in horror as he looked at Goku. Gohan and Sixteen, who had come to attack with him, stood stock still with pretty similar looks of horror and appall.

Several yards away, Goku was not fighting. He stood motionless, skin frighteningly pale and eyes wide with shock. Queen Frozena stood before him in a triumphant stance, eyes gleaming cruelly. Frozena's arm was buried halfway through Goku's abdomen, creating a disconcerting picture.

"Oh no," whispered Kyloa. She swayed on her feet but Piccolo was there, placing his hand on her shoulder, to keep her steady, although he felt quite nauseous himself at the scene before him. 

"Dad!" shouted Gohan, grief-stricken. He tried to rush forward, but oddly enough, it was Vegeta who held him back. He gave Gohan a half-pitying look. It was already too late. Tears streamed down Dende's face at the sight before them. Krillin flew forward, finding comfort in being near his strong wife.

Queen Frozena slowly removed her arm from his abdomen with a loud, unsettling squelchy sound. Goku fell to the ground, eyes and mouth wide open, but no breath leaving his lips. Queen Frozena held up her arm, which was covered in Goku's blood. Clutched within her hand was a small red object. Upon closer inspection, the fighters realized what it was. It was Goku's heart.

****

Author: *Holds out her fingers in a cross* Don't kill me! But someone had to die and Goku got the short straw. Besides, he's always saving the day. I think it's time that someone else saved the day, like maybe Piccolo.


	6. Chapter 5, Part II

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Author: I don't know if I've said this lately but thank you guys for the reviews you have given me.

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Chapter 5, Part II

Goku was dead. His body laid on the ground, a gaping hole where his heart should have been, never to move again. This fact had yet to assert itself into the fighters' overwhelmed minds when their lives were endangered yet again.

With Goku gone, Queen Frozena quickly returned to her original objective for coming to Earth in the first place. Still in shock, the fighters did not notice until it was too late. The blast was heading straight for Kyloa and no one could stop it. Panicking, Kyloa made a mistake. Heat filled her being as her body suddenly burst into flames. The flames quickly ate up the energy blast but Kyloa kept on burning. The blast had been too strong.

Piccolo immediately knew something was wrong. It happened so fast, he had no time to warn the others. Flames suddenly surrounded the fighters. The flames grew, becoming a very tall firewall, effectively cutting them off from any means of escape. Looking at the flames, he remembered what Kyloa had said the day before about not having good control over such a wild element as fire:

__

" . . . When I become fire, it feels like a roiling chaos has entered my mind and I have to struggle to keep my form and not go lose and burn everything near me. When you fired, I loosened my grip and let the fire reach out and it grabbed the energy, almost eating it. It felt so, so . . . I can't describe it! If the blast was any stronger, I would have lost control completely."

Piccolo scowled. He had told her not to ever try that again. There was no use in dwelling on it now. They needed to get of there before they were roasted to death. And save Kyloa, before she was lost forever to the fiery element.

Over the roar of the fire, Piccolo could hear the Queen laughing. It was a cold laugh that chilled his spine. "Having trouble, little witch?" she taunted.

"What should we do, Piccolo?" asked Gohan, as he eyed the flames around them worriedly. They were intensely hot and beginning to blister their skin. They were all sweating profusely from the heat, except Piccolo. Sixteen noticed and made a suggestion. "You have control over fire. Could you not command these flames as well?"

Piccolo raised an eye ridge at him but he could see no fault in the big guy's logic. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Piccolo calmed his nerves and began concentrating. Reaching out his mind, he felt an answering presence almost immediately within the fire. There were two presences actually. One was Kyloa, who was lost among the flames, unable to return to her natural form. The other was the fire, wild and unwilling to obey. The blast Queen Frozena had fired had given it a lot of energy, too much for Kyloa to keep control of. 

Concentrating, Piccolo commanded the fire to return and let Kyloa go. The fire fought his control but Piccolo was stubborn. Within a few moments, the fire made a retreat and Kyloa, back in her human body, collapsed into Piccolo's arms, looking pale with exhaustion. The fire had burned out all her energy with her trying to keep it in check and failing.

"Gohan! She needs a senzou bean quick!" Gohan, who had been staring stupefied, quickly snapped out of it and rushed forward, taking out the pouch. Quickly, he took a bean from the pouch and placed it Kyloa's mouth. "Chew Kyloa. You'll feel better in a sec."

"Guys, I don't think we have a sec!" cried Krillin, pointing.

Queen Frozena was again heading straight for them, intent on drawing blood. "I'll take of her," announced Vegeta. Taking to the air, he met her halfway, and both fighters became a blur as they battled each other.

"Silly Saiyan. Always eager for a fight. He won't be able to hold her off for long," remarked Eighteen.

"Come on, Eighteen. We have to help him and give the others a chance to come up with a new strategy," cried Krillin as he leapt up to join in the fight. Eighteen shook her head and joined her husband in the air.

Down on the ground, the others watched as Kyloa's eyes fluttered open and her gaze settled on Piccolo. "Sorry. Next time I'll listen."

"There might not be a next time," growled Piccolo as he reluctantly set her on her feet. She stepped slowly away from him, as if averse to leaving his touch. Piccolo adjusted his cape, suddenly uncomfortable.

"How can we defeat Frozena without my Dad?" asked Gohan, eyes pained at the thought of his father.

"Fusion was our back up plan but without Goku, we cannot fuse," pointed out Sixteen in his blunt way.

"What do we do now Piccolo?" asked Dende. They all looked at him, universally placing Piccolo in charge. He stared back at them and gulped, feeling a little fear, something he did not feel frequently.

"There's nothing left to do but, fight."

__

Our friend has fallen

Our fear has grown

And hope has become a dim light.

****

SNEAK PEAK AT NEXT CHAPTER:

There was a great flash of light and then a great backwash of wind, knocking Queen Frozena, Vegeta, Eighteen and Krillin out of the air and hard onto the ground several yards away.

"What the hell?" yelled Vegeta, picking himself up off the ground.

Krillin was the first person to see them. "They-they-they –!" he stammered, pointing. Vegeta and Eighteen whirled to see what he was looking at, gasping at what their eyes were seeing.


	7. Chapter 6

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Author: We're coming down to the home stretch now. This chapter should be pretty interesting to you guys. I know I really liked writing it anyway.

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Chapter 6

__

Despair beckons

But a risk appears

And hope begins to gleam.

"There's nothing left to do but, fight."

"You can still fuse."

At that surprising statement, the fighters whirled around to stare at Kyloa. "What do you mean, we can still fuse?" asked Dende.

Haltingly, Kyloa explained. "In an emergency, a Shizen can take a Chi's place temporarily in a fusion. I . . . I can take Goku's place."

"Why do I feel like there's something you're not telling us?" asked Gohan.

Kyloa clasped her hands together tightly to keep them from trembling nervously. "Without having been trained for it, the power could overwhelm me and I could die."

"You should have told us of this option so you could have trained for it, in case we needed you," said Sixteen.

"I was hoping that I would not have to fight, that you would not need me."

"Well, we need you but I'm not about to let you risk your life when you know almost nothing about fighting," snarled Piccolo.

"You have no choice in the matter. Either I participate in the fusion or we all die!" yelled Kyloa. She blinked, surprised at her own outburst. The others blinked too, having never heard Kyloa raise her voice before.

Piccolo glanced at the fight in the air. Vegeta, Eighteen, and Krillin wouldn't be able to last much longer. If they were going to fuse, they would have to do it now. He glanced back at the others. Gohan stepped towards him. "We have to do something, Piccolo."

Piccolo narrowed his eyes. "Fine! We will fuse. But we must finish this fight quickly, that way there will be less of a chance of Kyloa's energy being depleted during the fusion."

Everyone nodded, while Kyloa just gave Piccolo one of her unreadable looks. The five silently stepped forward and made a circle. As the lead Chi now, Piccolo held out his hand first. "Mighty Earth, help us now in our dire need. Lend us the power we need to complete this task. Help us defeat Queen Frozena."

Piccolo felt a peculiar energy begin to build up around his hand. Gohan placed his hand atop of Piccolo's. "Mighty Earth, help us in our need."

Gohan began to feel the power as well as Sixteen placed his hand next on theirs. "Mighty Earth, lend us your power."

The power grew stronger and they were able to see its aura now when Kyloa placed her hand atop of theirs. "Mighty Earth, help us defeat our enemy, the evil Queen Frozena."

Dende placed his hand last on the pile. "Let us become one. Let the Earth make this so."

They began moving in a circle, chanting Dende's words over and over. Faster and faster they went, the power building up around their hands 'til it spread, streaming along their arms and engulfing their bodies. There was a great flash of light and then a great backwash of air, knocking Queen Frozena, Vegeta, Eighteen and Krillin out of the air and hard onto the ground several yards away.

"What the hell?" yelled Vegeta, picking himself up off the ground.

Krillin was the first person to see them. "They-they-they've fused!" he stammered, pointing. Vegeta and Eighteen whirled to see what he was looking at, gasping at what their eyes were seeing.

Where once stood three Chi warriors, the guardian of Earth, and a Shizen now stood one person. The most unusual looking person they had ever seen. He stood well over seven feet, his spiked hair a mottle of black, orange, and green. His skin was whiter than snow, giving him an otherworldly look. The strangest of all was his eyes. At first look, his pupils seemed to be the earth, as it was seen from space. Then he blinked and his eyes became blacker than space itself. The clothes he wore were in the Shizen style of tunic and body suit with no fancy trims or accessories and in the plain colors of green, blue, and black. On his black belt was a most unusual white swirly symbol that could make one dizzy if they stared at it too long. If Kyloa hadn't been otherwise occupied, she could have told them it was the Earth's own personal symbol, which no outsiders have ever seen except the Shizen. 

His aura glowed a mix of blue and red, the brightness of it making Krillin's eyes see spots. The power radiating from them was unbelievable, as well as overwhelming. He stepped forward, his stride long, and confident. All Queen Frozena could do was stare, openmouthed at him and the power level he broadcasted. "Who . . . what the hell are you?!"

The powerful being stopped and the look he gave the evil queen made even Eighteen cringe. When he spoke, he seemed to be speaking quietly but the undertone of the voice roared, as though as wild as nature itself and it rang in their ears. It also echoed, as though five different voices were all speaking at once. If he spoke any louder, they would all go deaf.

__

"I am one with the Earth.

I am connected with all that live upon her.

And I am the one meant to destroy you.

I am the **Sabikan**_."_

Queen Frozena smirked and crouched into a fighting stance. "Meant to destroy me? We'll see about that."

The Sabikan took a fighting stance as well. "**_So be it_**."

**Author: **Told you it was interesting. If my description of the Sabikan wasn't good enough, you can go check out a drawing I posted of him.


	8. Chapter 7

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Author: Warning: Tearjerker. 

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Chapter 7

A battle ensues

A soul hangs in the balance

What will the outcome be?

Queen Frozena smirked and crouched into a fighting stance. "Meant to destroy me? We'll see about that."

The Sabikan took a fighting stance as well. "**_So be it_**."

Suddenly, Vegeta felt a powerful voice fill his head, instantly giving him a pounding headache. _Get out of here. Take the others with you. This fight won't be pretty._

The voice left his head, but the pain still remained. Vegeta snarled, not happy at being told to flee like he was some child. Angrily and roughly, he grabbed Krillin's arm, than Eighteen's and flew away at his top speed.

"Vegeta! What are you doing?" cried Krillin.

"Earth-freak over there says we must get at a safe distance. According to him, what's going to happen next won't be pretty."

They got away just in time. Sabikan and Frozena left the ground, becoming a blur that no one could keep track of. They met in the air, the resulting boom and energy shockwave nearly knocking Vegeta and his passengers from the air. He sped up, finding a large rock formation that should give them relative protection from any more blasts.

Fists and legs flew and the energy being thrown around by the two fighters left Krillin breathless. Queen Frozena was becoming frustrated as none of her attacks were having any effect. She began throwing energy blasts but that was just as useless. _This was not supposed to happen! How is this freak of nature possible? Where is all this power coming from!_

Deep inside the head of the Sabikan, five minds came to an agreement. **Enough! It is time to finish this!** He stopped moving, crossed his arms over his chest, and closed his eyes as he began concentrating. Queen Frozena stopped moving and stared as, abruptly, the Sabikan's power spiked alarmingly and continued to climb. His aura grew brighter, nearly blinding her, and she suddenly got the feeling that maybe she should flee.

Without warning, his eyes flew open. They glowed as if they were opals, shimmering with a melee of colors. His voice a great force all by itself, he shouted, **"ELEMENTAL FORCE!"**

Uncrossing his arms, the Sabikan released the most powerful blast that Vegeta, Eighteen, and Krillin had ever seen. It was so bright they were forced to look away, lest they be blinded by it. Queen Frozena tried to get away from it but she wasn't fast enough. She let out an earsplitting scream as the blast engulfed her and then there was a tumultuous explosion. The rock formation Vegeta and the others were hiding behind collapsed and they themselves were blown away.

When Vegeta, Eighteen, and Krillin were again able to stand, both Queen Frozena and the Sabikan were gone. Hurrying forward to the now decimated battlefield, they discovered Dende, Gohan, Sixteen, Piccolo, and Kyloa lying in various places on the ground, exhausted and unconscious, but alive. Sixteen was the first to come around and, with help from the others, revived Gohan, Dende, Piccolo and Kyloa. Gohan, Dende, and Krillin immediately began dancing around, shouting gleefully, "We did it! We did it!"

Vegeta stared at their antics with contempt and Piccolo just shook his head. He looked away and noticed Kyloa standing alone, away from the group. Her eyes met his and he frowned at what he saw there. Reaching out his senses, Piccolo realized her life energy was too low. As he watched, Kyloa wavered, unsteady on her feet. Dashing forward, he was barely in time to catch her before she hit the ground. He lowered himself gently to the ground, keeping her in his arms the whole time.

The others hurry forward, worry etched onto their faces. Piccolo gently shook Kyloa, calling her name, trying to revive her.

"Is she okay?" asked Gohan.

Piccolo shook his head and looked at Dende. "Can you heal her?"

Dende looked down, guilt radiating from him. "I cannot. I do not have enough energy to do any healing. The fusion took it all."

Piccolo turned to Gohan. "Is there any senzou beans left?"

Gohan reluctantly shook his head. "I gave the last one to Kyloa after you released her from the fire."

Piccolo turned his gaze back to Kyloa, who still laid unresponsive in his arms. The only movement was her shallow breathing. As he looked at her, Piccolo felt a sharp pain stab his heart. This could not be happening. She was not supposed to die. "Kyloa. Kyloa, please. You promised to explain the dreams. Don't back out on your promise. Kyloa. Wake up, Kyloa!"

Finally, finally, Kyloa's eyes gradually opened and met Piccolo's gaze. She looked at him and her eyes suddenly filled with pain and a look he had never seen before. He noticed her throat convulsing, as if she was trying to talk but was unable to. Piccolo felt a lump in his throat and was unable to speak as well. _What is making me feel this way? Why does this hurt so much?_

Unable to convey her message, Kyloa closed her eyes in what seemed to be defeat. A tear appeared and slid down her cheek and Piccolo watched it with a strange detachment. She took a breath but did not take another. She was gone.

Piccolo stared, his mind not quite accepting what has happened. Suddenly, a voice spoke in his mind and with a start, Piccolo realized it was the Earth and her voice was tinged with sadness.

**__**

"Let her go Piccolo. It is time for her to return and dwell with me."

Hesitatingly, Piccolo gently laid Kyloa out on the ground and they all watched as the Earth slowly absorbed her body. Gohan glanced at his mentor and was surprised to see a tear on the green alien's cheek. "Piccolo. Are you crying?" he asked, wonder filling his voice.

The others looked up in time to see Piccolo wipe his cheek with his hand and become surprised when it came away wet. For once Vegeta did not make a rude comment and chose to keep silent.

"Don't worry Piccolo. We can wish her back with the Dragonballs," said Krillin, trying to be consoling.

Dende shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Um, you can't." He now had everyone's undivided attention. "Sorry. Kyloa told me awhile back that you can't wish a Shizen back with the Dragonballs. The Shizen belong to the Earth and it is up to her whether or not it is time for a Shizen to die or to live."

"Well, that doesn't mean we should give up hope. The Earth could decide to bring Kyloa back," said Gohan, eyes big with hope.

"We won't know for a long time," replied Dende.

Piccolo, silent up 'til then, without warning suddenly turned and flew away. Gohan stared worriedly after him. "Where are you going Piccolo?"

"To be alone."

Gohan turned to Dende, who shrugged. They all flew off in the other direction, to return home and break the news of the deaths of Kyloa and Goku to their family and friends.

As the other fighters mourned the losses of Goku and Kyloa and celebrated the victory over Queen Frozena, Piccolo sat alone on a mountaintop, eyes staring at nothing, not registering anything before them. After having meditated for several hours, Piccolo had come to an enlightening realization that had shocked him, strangely heartened him and brought him great pain at the same time.

He had fallen in love with Kyloa. And now he didn't know how he was going to live without her.

My heart aches,

And now it is becoming gentle
What will become of me? 


	9. Chapter 8

"The promise of resurrection is not written in books alone

but in every leaf and petal in springtime."

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Author: I've sort of exhausted my poetry muse, so I've turned to song lyrics. The verse at the beginning of the chapter fit Piccolo's point of view. The verse in the middle of the chapter fits Piccolo and Kyloa. The verse at the end of the chapter fits Kyloa's point of view. I took the verses from a song on the Final Fantasy Soundtrack.

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Chapter 8

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I wake from a nightmare now

In the day it haunts me

It slowly tears me apart

With dreams of a distant love

I'm a wandering satellite

The days and weeks passed slowly for Piccolo. He had begun to lose all concept of time altogether. He still continued to train but he had lost his focus. He meditated for hours, trying to regain that old focus. But more oftentimes than not he found himself struggling not to cry as he thought of Kyloa. Byrn was concerned but there was nothing he could do to raise Piccolo's spirit.

Gohan found him like this one day, high on a mountain peak far from any sort of civilization. He was concerned about his mentor, having not seen him in so long. Piccolo did not open his eyes, staying motionless as Gohan approached him, giving no indication that he knew he was there.

"How have you been doing, Piccolo?" asked Gohan. Niko, seeing Byrn observing them from nearby, went to join him and exchange the news.

Piccolo's eyes remained closed. "Leave, Gohan. I do not wish to speak to anyone right now." His voice sounded gravelly from its long disuse.

"You loved her, didn't you?" said Gohan, being unusually blunt.

Piccolo cracked an eye open to stare at Gohan. _Since when did he become so observant?_ "That's none of your business, kid."

"It's been nearly a year, Piccolo, since she and Dad died. I've moved on, why can't you?"

Piccolo opened his other eye. _Has it really been that long?_ He had thought he would get over this eventually. It seems he hasn't. "You don't understand, kid."

"So why don't you tell me, so I can understand." Gohan sat down next to him, a patient look on his face. Piccolo sighed. "You've never been in love, Gohan. You don't know what its like."

Gohan hid a smile, lest Piccolo see it. "Ah, so you admit you loved her."

Piccolo glared at him and it was Gohan's turn to sigh. "I'm not completely ignorant Piccolo. I have an idea about what its like. After all, my parents were in love. Ever since Dad died, my mom has never been quite the same. Don't believe you're the only one who's ever suffered."

"At least your parents knew they loved each other and had several years together. I never had that with Kyloa. She didn't even know how I felt about her. I don't even know if she cared about me at all."

"You never know, Piccolo. You never know."

Piccolo stood up and walked a few feet away. Talking about this was painful and he didn't want Gohan to see him if he started crying. "I think I do know Gohan. And I think it's time for you to go. You're mother will be worried about you."

Gohan stood. Seeing his partner was ready to leave, Niko said goodbye to Byrn and returned to perch on Gohan's shoulder. "Alright. I'll go. I know when I'm not wanted. But at least come and visit once in a while. I miss sparring with you."

With that, Gohan left. "So do I, Gohan. So do I. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to get over this."

__

Somewhere in the wasteland

I see you smiling at me

A vision out of my dreams

Will everything change?

Take the pain away

Lead me with your light

Far from the lonely spot where Piccolo meditated, in a meadow where one hidden area of it was stripped of grass, the soil began shaking and rumbling slightly. Suddenly, a body rose from the ground. It was a young woman, with beautiful smooth skin and dark shiny forest green hair. Without warning, her eyes flew open, revealing that they were a bright leaf green. Lifting her hands to her face, she stared unblinkingly at them, as if bewildered by their existence. Suddenly she blinked and two tears rolled down her cheeks. Clasping her hands over her face, she sunk to the ground on her knees, sobbing as if her heart was broken in two.

__

My world spinning out of time

Won't somebody stop me?

I may be losing my way

Will you make it right?

Take the pain away

Hear me as I cry

- From "Spirit Dreams Inside"

Final Fantasy Soundtrack


	10. Chapter 9, Part I

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Chapter 9, Part I

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Free the dream within

The voices calling, a song

A prayer from deep inside you

To guide you

Be the dream within

The light is shining

A flame on the wind

Salvation begins

Look beyond where hearts can see

Dream in peace

Trust, love, believe

- From "The Dream Within"

Final Fantasy Soundtrack

The dreams began a few days after Gohan's visit. They were just like before, scenes of Shizen life and their people, ending with a quick peek at the baby. But now there was a new element as well. A woman hiding behind a waterfall that made no sound, enabling him to hear her crying.

Piccolo was beginning to become frustrated. Having a week of interrupted sleep was beginning to toll on him. Why was the Earth still sending him these dreams? What was the point? Kyloa was gone, he had failed. He had become so irritable that even Byrn was avoiding him, disappearing for days at a time to visit the other dragons.

After one particularly strong dream that left him with a pounding headache, he went to the river to splash his face with water. But before he could place his hands in the water, the ground under him began to shake, knocking him off balance. The river began to roil wildly and then bubble and steam, as if it was boiling.

"What the hell?" cried Piccolo. _What else could go wrong?_

A voice filled his head, loud and resounding and very furious. It didn't sound like the Earth at all, it was so different.

**__**

"I am nearly as old as Time itself, Piccolo. Over that time, I have learned to be remarkably patient. But she is hurting and I find myself becoming rather impatient_."_

Piccolo blinked, not sure what to think of that statement. All at once, he became angry. "Your clues are pretty vague, you know. Besides, why do I still need to solve them? Didn't I fail the first part of the mission?" Then he noticed something. "_She_ is hurting? Who is _she_?"

There was a peculiar sound in his mind, as if the Earth was sighing, for what reason he didn't know.

**__**

"Look into the water Piccolo. That should answer your question."

Puzzled, frustrated, angry, and tired, Piccolo looked into the river, which had become calm again. And what he saw completely woke him up. It was Kyloa, hiding behind the waterfall where she lived. She was sleeping but even in sleep Piccolo could tell she didn't look so well. Her skin was pale and her face looked puffy, as if she had been doing a lot of crying. Was the Earth saying she was alive again?

"Are you trying to tell me she's alive?" asked Piccolo, not quite believing it.

**__**

"Look into the water again, Piccolo. That should explain all."

Like water slipping through a sieve, Piccolo felt the Earth's presence leave his mind. He looked into the river again as the Earth told him to and this time he saw the baby again. He watched closely as the blanket it was wrapped in shifted and he finally got a good look at the infant within its folds. The baby was green. And it had a blood red tattoo on his forehead. Piccolo felt like a light bulb had gone off in his head. Looking at this baby, Piccolo knew what his destiny was. And he also knew, with an uncanny certainty, that Kyloa was alive.

Piccolo rocked back on his heels. _Kyloa was alive_. Why was she hiding from everyone? More to the point, why was she hiding from him? The real question now was, what was he going to do about it?

And then Piccolo realized that there was only one thing left for him to do. He had to go see Kyloa. 

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Author: Now you know what Piccolo's dreams meant. The baby was basically a dream symbol to represent the rebirth of the Shizen people. In the next chapter will be the confrontation between Piccolo and Kyloa. Wonder how that will go **. . .**


	11. Chapter 9, Part II

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Author: Finally! I know you guys have been waiting for this! Drumroll please! Dun, Dun, Dun! Tada! The actual get together of Piccolo and Kyloa!

What? Still here? Go on! I know you're dying to read it!

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Chapter 9, Part II

It took him nearly two days but Piccolo finally reached the forest where Kyloa lived. At some point along the way, Byrn had rejoined him, barely able to keep up but too curious and stubborn to quit. Quickly Piccolo zipped in and out among the trees and reached the clearing where the waterfall was in record time. He was just in time to see Kyloa disappear completely in a tree. The look on her face had been one of fright and surprise. Embyr was in a tree nearby and nearly fell from her perch in surprise at seeing Piccolo and Byrn.

"Oh, no you don't, nature girl. Can't get away from me that easily," muttered Piccolo. He alighted on the ground and stepped up to the tree. In one swift movement he gave the tree a hard kick and a moment later, Kyloa came stumbling out of it. Byrn joined Embyr in the tree, eager to see what would happen.

Kyloa whirled to face him, schooling her expression to not reveal anything she might have been thinking at that moment. Piccolo studied her, his eyes soaking up the sight of her as if he was a plant withering away without water and she was the water.

The way he was looking at her was making Kyloa extremely uncomfortable. "What are you doing here, Piccolo? I did not think to see you again."

Piccolo adjusted his gaze so he could meet hers. "Hello to you too, Kyloa. It's nice to know that you're _alive_."

Kyloa gave him one of her unreadable looks. He was surprised to find that he missed those. "I'm sorry. But you know I prefer to live alone and unknown." She paused, scrutinizing him. "If you have nothing else to say, I would suggest you leave."

Piccolo glared at her, instantly silencing her. "You still have a promise to keep Kyloa."

She looked away ashamed. She had remembered the promise but she did not wish to face him or any of the others ever again. She had been afraid and had felt guilty about Goku. And it was just too painful to face _him_.

Piccolo had figured that out for himself, having become somewhat familiar with Kyloa's ways. He continued on, ignoring the fact she did not answer him. "You promised to tell me everything if we both survived the fight with Queen Frozena. Well, we're both still alive and Queen Frozena is dead. Yet, you still have not explained why you live alone, away from civilization, although I have a pretty good idea why now." 

Kyloa stared at him, unsure of how to take what he was saying. He gave her a patient look. "Why did you never tell us that you were the one that King Kold had impregnated?"

Kyloa turned around, unable to face him as she told him. "He didn't rape me, if that's what you're thinking. He had his medical officer plant his seed in me, like I told you before. Everything I said was true, except for the fact I was the one who gave birth to Frieza, not some random woman. I didn't tell because, I was, um ashamed. And afraid of your reaction."

"Kyloa." Piccolo reached out to comfort her but she scurried away from his touch. "Kyloa. We're friends. I wouldn't be much of a friend if I condemned you for something that was not your fault."

Kyloa's voiced choked up as she tried to speak. "I was so foolish and young. I went right up to his ship, curious, not in the least bit suspicious of who might be inside. If only I had stayed away. And after all that happened, as I lived imprisoned, I still held out hope that I could get away after I gave birth and that the baby would not be evil. But after all those hours of labor, the first time I looked upon my baby was in horror. He didn't have a Shizen mark. And that could only mean one thing."

Piccolo raised an eye ridge. "What?"

Kyloa wiped her eyes, determined not to cry. "The Earth can tell when a Shizen has an evil spirit. You can't hide it from her. And once she knows, she takes away you're Shizen marking, alerting everyone else to your true nature. And then that person is usually banished. But I have never heard of a baby being born that way. The evidence was right there in front of me though. At the first chance I got, I ran away, abandoning my baby to that evil monster, not bothering to give him a second chance."

"You did the right thing. A person like Frieza could never have changed."

"We'll never know now, will we? He's dead," replied Kyloa bitterly.

"He's better off dead, Kyloa. I know you understand that," said Piccolo, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes. I know. But it still hurts," answered Kyloa.

Neither of them said anything, just respecting the silence. Finally Kyloa broke it, beginning to walk back towards the waterfall. "If that's all you wanted to know Piccolo, I feel it is time for you to go. You can let the others know that I'm –"

Piccolo interrupted her. "That's not all I wanted to know, Kyloa. You promised to explain the dreams and my mission as well. But I think I have figured that out now."

She swiveled around to face him, shock and fear registering on her features. "Y-you ha-have?"

Piccolo gazed deep into her eyes. "Yes, I have."

Kyloa gulped and fiddled with her hands. "What exactly have you figured out?"

Piccolo stepped closer, making Kyloa more nervous. "I was finally able to get a good look at the baby from the dreams. It was a Namek baby, with a Shizen marking upon its forehead. It was easy to see what the Earth wanted of me after that. The baby is mine and . . . yours. I know why now the Earth changed my physiology. She chose me to be your . . . " Piccolo found to his embarrassment he couldn't say the word.

Kyloa turned away. "You are right. The tattoo you bear upon your chest is the mark of the betrothed. She chose you to be my bondmate and to help restart the Shizen race. She felt that I had put it off long enough and decided to hurry things along a bit."

Kyloa whipped back around and said earnestly, "I am so sorry! I didn't know she would do that! But it is optional. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Would you be disappointed if I refused?"

Kyloa blinked and retreated a few inches. "What?"

"Do you want me to be your mate? Tell the truth Kyloa."

Kyloa blushed fiercely and averted her gaze. "I am very fond of you Piccolo," she murmured. "You might think it silly but I think I love you Piccolo." This time it was Piccolo's turn to blink, as he was dumbfounded. "And I don't want you to become my mate if you don't have feelings for me. And I very much doubt if you feel for me that way."

"You're wrong." Kyloa jerked her head up in surprise to look at him. "Do you know what you have done to me, nature girl? I can't even train anymore without thinking about you. I don't know what love is supposed to feel like but I'm pretty certain that is what I feel for you."

Kyloa looked up at him in disbelief. Piccolo sighed inwardly. _What will it take to get you to believe me?_ A wild thought flitted through his head. He stepped closer and Kyloa looked at him suddenly in fear. He leaned forward, cupping her soft face in his large hands. Slowly, he brought his face closer and gently brushed his lips against hers. A strange wonderful feeling filled his being and without thinking about it, Piccolo kissed her again. It was deeper and longer this time and for some reason Piccolo felt relief and fulfillment when Kyloa responded and began earnestly kissing him back.

They pulled away from each other a few moments later, breathless and astonished. Regaining his breath, Piccolo studied Kyloa. She was flushed and fidgeting almost imperceptibly. Reaching out, he placed his hands on her shoulders and brought her closer, so she couldn't run away again. In a low intense voice he said, "I am telling the truth Kyloa. I love you. And I would like to be your mate, if you are willing."

Slowly she began to smile and timidly stepped closer to him, slipping her arms gingerly around his waist. He returned the hug, placing his arms around her body in a tight grip, not wanting to ever let go. "I guess I can take that as a yes."

Kyloa's smile grew and she looked up at him. "Yes, you can."

Piccolo looked down at Kyloa's smiling face and found himself wanting to smile as well. So he did. And then he kissed her.

__

We're heading for something

Somewhere I've never been

Sometimes I am frightened

But I'm ready to learn

Of the power of love

The sound of your heart beating

Made it clear

Suddenly the feeling that I can't go on

Is light years away

'Cause I am your lady

And you are my man

Whenever you reach for me

I'll do all that I can

We're heading for something

Somewhere I've never been

Sometimes I am frightened

But I'm ready to learn

Of the power of love

- From "The Power of Love"

Sung by Jennifer Rush

****

Author: Think it's the end? Not quite yet! One more chapter to go! 

I know what you're all thinking. What more could happen after they finally share their first kiss? Just wait and see!

By the way, was this chapter long enough for you guys? I was trying to make up for the last chapter, which was pretty short. Oh and go check out the two new drawings I posted at my site.


	12. Chapter 10

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Author: Lime Alert! I don't write lemons, so don't ever expect one from me. This chapter is a little lemony at the end but that's probably as far as I'll ever go. Oh and I've changed the poll at my site. Please vote and let me know what your opinion is. That way, I can make a decision and get the saga out to you faster. (Darn, now I've just revealed that it isn't the end.)

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Chapter 10

__

Laughing was a forgotten skill

Happiness but a distant memory

And suddenly my life is abundant with both.

Piccolo had been impatient to reveal to everyone that Kyloa was alive, so he had picked her up and immediately took to the air. After getting over her shock, Kyloa had laughed. It was the first time Piccolo had ever heard her laugh and it felt amazingly good to hear. It meant she was happy. Done laughing but still smiling, Kyloa told him that they should visit Dende and Mr. Popo first to tell them the good news. After all, Mr. Popo had been the one to raise her. Embyr and Byrn followed, all but forgotten by their respective partners in their joy.

When they got there, Mr. Popo actually let out a few tears upon seeing Kyloa and, shocking Dende, carelessly dropped his watering can as he ran to hug her. "Oh, I can't believe it!"

Kyloa patted his back and then pulled away. "Believe it, Father Popo. Kaachi was determined that I finish what I was meant to."

That was when Dende and Mr. Popo noticed how close Piccolo and Kyloa were standing together. Dende smiled cheerfully. "So that's the way the wind blows. I guess you guys want me to perform a binding ceremony."

Kyloa smile dimmed a little and she looked at Piccolo. "Only if Piccolo is willing to do it."

Piccolo crossed his arms. "Just what exactly is a binding ceremony?"

"A binding ceremony is the Shizen way of getting married. It is how Kan became mortal. Our souls will be binded to each other and I will age as you do. When you die, I die. When I die, you die."

Piccolo raised an eye ridge at her. "This is how the Shizen show their affection for each other?"

"If you don't want to –" Kyloa never got a chance to finish her sentence. Piccolo leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, surprising them all at his public display of affection.

"I am fine with it. I think it is the ultimate way to display how I feel. This way, I can protect you using my own life." Piccolo turned to Dende. "What do we have to do?"

Dende stepped forward. "Well, you will need witnesses. Three married couples and three bachelors, to be exact. No children are allowed to witness a binding ceremony."

Before Piccolo could respond, there was a flash of light and suddenly a new person appeared on the scene. They all gaped as what looked to be Goku walked towards them. "Hi, guys! Is it alright if I come to your wedding?"

Recovering from her shock, Kyloa couldn't help but smile a little at Goku's abundant cheerfulness. "Goku! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be dead!"

Goku scratched his head and gave a little laugh. "Yeah, I know I'm supposed to be but your mom had a talk with the Grand Kai and worked out a deal for me. Actually, it was more like she yelled at him 'til he agreed. I'm allowed to come back and visit one day a year, of my choice. She said I should go today, since a lot will be happening."

Piccolo smirked. When the Earth wanted things to go her way, she could be really pushy about it. "Alright then. You can go fetch your wife and Gohan and that'll take care of the first married couple and bachelor."

"Father Popo can be our second bachelor," suggested Kyloa.

"I would be honored," said Mr. Popo, bowing. "But you know, the name Kyloa no longer suits you. With a little luck, you will no longer be 'the only one'. From now on, your name should be Kya, the first one."

Kyloa blushed at the implication Mr. Popo was making. She let the name roll off her tongue. "Kya." She tilted her head in thought and then turned to her soon to be mate. "What do you think Piccolo?"

"I think the name suits you," said Piccolo.

"Kya it is then," pronounced Dende.

"Who else should we invite to the ceremony?" asked the renamed woman.

It was decided that Piccolo would fetch Krillin, Eighteen, Bulma, Vegeta, and Sixteen to come attend the ceremony. Once they had gotten over their shock of Kya being alive and getting a new name and Goku coming back, they were more than willing to attend to the ceremony. Within an hour, Dende was ready to begin the ceremony.

Kya and Piccolo stood before Dende, with the married witnesses on their left and the bachelors on their right. "Great Earth, these two souls are ready to be bound to each other for all eternity."

Dende held out an ornate silver cup and a plain knife, the same one Kya had used in other rituals. "Give up thy blood, in exchange for thy beloved's, and become one."

Calmly taking the knife, Kya sliced her palm. Holding out her hand and applying pressure filled a fourth of the cup with her blood. Taking the kerchief Mr. Popo offered, Kya bandaged her hand and then handed the knife to Piccolo. Taking the knife, Piccolo made a deep slash upon his palm so it would not heal right away. Applying pressure, he was able to fill the cup the rest of the way with his blood.

Dende gave the cup a gentle shake and the blood swirled, mixing. He handed the cup to Kya. She looked up into Piccolo's eyes and said, "By this blood I swear my life unto you. My life is now in your hands."

Staring into the cup, Kya took a deep breath as if bracing herself. Tipping the cup, she took a long drink from it. Closing her eyes, she handed the cup to Piccolo as a dizzy spell hit her. She wavered as a strange power burned through her veins. She could barely keep herself on her feet.

"Hurry Piccolo and drink the rest so the binding will be complete. That is what is causing her pain," commanded Dende.

Piccolo studied the blood within as if it held his destiny. Closing his eyes, he finished off the cup in one gulp. Dende quickly took the cup before it fell from his shaky hands. A strange fire was coursing through his veins and suddenly, it went away. He opened his eyes to see that Kya was alright as well.

"The binding is now complete. You two will from now on be bondmates, together for life with no secrets and no misunderstandings," pronounced Dende.

Piccolo felt the most unusual sensation in his mind. Pictures, memories, were flashing through his mind. They were Kya's memories. At the same time, he knew that his own memories were going through her mind. It was like a door had been opened between their minds and now there was no way it could be closed. Piccolo felt a little fear at someone knowing his deepest, innermost thoughts but looking deep into Kya's eyes, he knew she had the same doubts and fears and it felt reassuring. Picking up his train of thought, Kya gave a timid little smile.

Piccolo reached forward and pulled her into his arms, but for some reason her body went rigid with nervousness. Although she tried to hide it, Piccolo was able to reach into her mind and find what was making her nervous. _This is indeed useful. She won't be able to run anymore_ he thought privately to himself with a smirk. Returning to the issue at hand, he communicated to her telepathically, to keep their conversation private. _I know what you are afraid of. But do not worry. It is my first time as well, remember?_

Kya looked up and saw the private little smile that he was showing only to her. _I had forgotten. I guess we will learn together, won't we?_

Yes, we will. With that, Piccolo took to air with Kya safely secured within the circle of his arms, not bothering to say farewell. Goku looked after the retreating figures, a slight frown marring his usual cheerful features. "Hey, that was awful rude of them! Couldn't they say good-bye before taking off?"

Vegeta and Eighteen gave Goku disgusted looks while the others glanced at him with surprise and embarrassment. "They have other things on their minds right now, Goku," exclaimed Chichi.

"Huh?" 

Everyone sweatdropped.

"They've gone to consummate their marriage, you imbecile," announced Vegeta, having no qualms about speaking of sexual matters.

Everyone turned pink at his comment but Goku managed to turn downright red. Mumbling unintelligible courtesies to Dende and Mr. Popo, the gang left for the Kame House to hopefully regain their dignity and spend the rest of day visiting with Goku without any further mishaps.

Far away from the impromptu party, Piccolo and Kya were having their own private meeting. He had taken her to her home, to the cave behind the waterfall. There he found a comfortable nest of blankets, which would be suitable for now. But he knew in the future that they would probably need a house. Especially if they had children, which the Earth was determined that they do.

Gently he settled himself on the blankets, keeping Kya in his arms. She glanced at him, slightly amused. _Determined not to let me get away?_

With your track record, I think it best that I keep you close. Her eyes dimmed a bit with sadness but Piccolo would not let her look away. Stroking her cheek gently, he brushed his lips with hers in a short, tender sweet kiss. The sweetness of it made her sigh. "I love you," he said, a finger tracing her lips.

She looked at him and Piccolo was able to read her eyes. They were filled with a slight passion but mostly with a deep affection for him. "And I love you."

Feeling that the time for talk had passed, he kissed her, long and slow. She kissed back, the feel of his lips on hers effectively pushing away her worries. Not breaking the kiss, they lowered themselves to the ground. Pausing only for breath, they continued to kiss as their clothing disappeared piece by piece. They explored each other's bodies slowly, enjoying the sensations and building their passions for one another gradually. When he finally entered her, the pain was minimal, and they reached their peaks shortly after.

They awoke several times throughout the night, reaching out as if to reassure themselves that the other was there and then to continue their lovemaking. In the morning, they rose together to watch the sunrise, secure in the fact that they were together now and would never part.

__

The deepest parts of our souls have been bared

But deep in my heart

My love beats true and strong

And I know my faith is sound

Deep within I will hold you close

And I know you will do the same

Even when I close my eyes

You are always there

In the recesses of my mind

The nightmares that plagued me

The fear that haunted me

Have all disappeared

Because of your soothing touch

And calming thoughts within

Where ever you go

My heart will be with you

As yours is always with me.

****

*End of the Frozena Saga*

**__**

Is this truly the end? Or is it just the beginning?


End file.
